Schools are at higher risk this time of year for outbreaks of the flu or flu-like sicknesses.

And that’s what is going on this week at Oxford and Lafayette high schools, where a flu-like bug has many students and teachers at home with symptoms.

Early this week more than 15 percent of Oxford High School’s students were at home sick.

That means caution is required form parents and students at both schools when symptoms are present. Primarily, students and teachers should not come to school if they have any fever at all.

Lafayette County High School Nurse Julie Ingram offers the good advice of not coming to school until 24 hours after fever has broken.

The other advice is timeless: thoroughly wash hands.

The most common way for illnesses to spread is from the human hand, so continual and thorough hand washing is always a good idea. At times like this, it’s a better idea.

We hope those suffering from the flu-like sickness feel better soon and that the outbreak has peaked in the numbers of students and teachers it will impact.

We also hope parents will remember to keep children home until 24 hours after fever has broken.